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Tuvey

Is there a detailed spreadsheet of how Visit McMinnville is spending the money allotted to tourism? Is there a report saying how much money has been brought to McMinnville via the efforts of Visit McMinnville?

Why do we have a 3 million dollar deficit? If this tourism money weren't available how would we be proceeding to balance the budget? Who is in charge of that?

09:39 am - Tue, September 17 2019

David S. Wall

The Transient and Lodging Tax (TLT) and corresponding creative disbursement percentages are under legislative review.

Senate Bill [SB 595] is languishing in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue.

McMinnville, like other municipalities may use TLT monies in the following allocations; ~70% to be reinvested into "Tourism" related activities and the remaining ~30% can be used for "General Fund" expenditures and or for "Affordable Housing projects."

At stake, [SB 595]-if passed into law- will allow municipalities access to an additional ~30% from the aforementioned ~70% . This additional ~30% could be used for "Affordable Housing projects" and the remaining ~40% is to be used solely for tourism related activities. But, this option does not appear viable for McMinnville due to the looming and crushing budget deficit.

This reduction to ~40% of TLT monies is a significant reduction in revenue for tourism activities if [SB 595] becomes law and a Municipality decides to divert the ~30% for "Affordable Housing projects."

Question: Is the FY2019-2020 contract with "Visit McMinnville" predicated upon receiving the ~70% TLT allocation?

The McMinnville City Council should publically review and discuss their "long-term contract obligations and economic development strategies" pertaining to the contract with "Visit McMinnville."

The McMinnville City Council, by its' own inaction on this issue, has condemned themselves until FY2020-2021.

Raising the TLT is self-defeating and should not be considered an option even if [SB 595] becomes law.

Desiring to use TLT monies for Capital Improvement Projects at McMinnville's Airport doesn't even justify using the phrase, "Nice-try."

actionjax

Turvey, the answer to your question "Why do we have a 3 million dollar deficit" is because our city is being run by liberals. I find it convenient that Perlata and his ilk are raiding tourism funds when they are complicit in keeping McMinnville a haven for the homeless, addicts, derelicts, and dealers by not cleaning up our city and now wanting to use the tourism funds for something other than tourism because they can't manage their resources. Vote them out.

04:17 pm - Thu, September 19 2019

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